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. 2022 Dec 15;19(24):16871.
doi: 10.3390/ijerph192416871.

Depressive Symptoms and Control of Emotions among Polish Women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

Karolina Pokora  1 , Karolina Kowalczyk  1 , Agnieszka Wikarek  1   2 , Małgorzata Rodak  1 , Karolina Pędrys  1 , Mariusz Wójtowicz  3 , Katarzyna Wyskida  4   5 , Mariola Jonderko  1
Affiliations

Depressive Symptoms and Control of Emotions among Polish Women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

Karolina Pokora et al. Int J Environ Res Public Health. .

Abstract

Introduction: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a disorder that substantially affects women's health. It is particularly diagnosed in young patients. Women with PCOS are burdened with excessive weight gain, overweight and obesity (74%) compared to a healthy female population. Excessive weight influences psychological state and emotional well-being, whereas in the meantime, psychological and behavioral dysfunction is increasingly being diagnosed among patients with PCOS.

Aim: To assess depressive symptoms and emotional control among women with PCOS in relation to BMI.

Methods: The study was conducted among 671 self-reported PCOS women. The standardized Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) was used to assess depressive disorders. Emotion control was assessed using the Courtauld Emotional Control Scale (CECS).

Results: Moderate and severe depressive symptoms were more common in PCOS women with abnormal BMI compared to normal BMI subjects (p < 0.01). In total, 27.1% of obese women had moderate depression and 28.8% had severe depression. Among overweight women, 19.9% suffered from moderate and 25% from severe depressive symptoms. Underweight women also reported moderate (25.6%) and severe (33.3%) depressive signs. There were no statistically significant differences between the body weight of the women studied and the CECS scores.

Conclusions: Depressive symptoms are more common in women with PCOS and abnormal BMI than in women with PCOS and proper BMI. The severity of depressive symptoms increases with BMI, but underweight women with PCOS are also at risk of depressive disorders. The level of suppression of negative emotions is independent of BMI in women with PCOS.

Keywords: BMI; Beck Depression Inventory (BDI); Courtauld Emotional Control Scale (CECS); Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS); depression; emotional control.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
The level of physical activity depending on BMI (p < 0.001).
Figure 2
Figure 2
Percentage of individuals presenting a moderate depression index according to Beck’s scale (p < 0.01). The red line represents the J-curve.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Percentage of individuals presenting a high depression index according to Beck’s scale (p < 0.001). The red line represents the J-curve.
Figure 4
Figure 4
CECS- Total score depending on BMI (p = NS).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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